Everyday Anarchism

Eleanor Janega, the very first guest on the Graeber's Debt series, comes back on the show to discuss what the middle ages were, how they were a global phenomenon, and why they weren't as bad as you've heard

I'm joined by Karl Gerth, professor of modern Chinese history at the University of California, San Diego, to discuss the Chinese Communist Revolution and how Maoism attempted to avoid the mistakes of the USSR and yet largely repeated them.

In Graeber's middle ages, empires fell apart while temples and monasteries kept everything together with metaphysical debt. Oh, and Europe isn't very important.Eleanor Janega returns later this month to discuss the chapter in the next Debt discussion!

Following on my discussion with John Weisweiler, more detail on Graeber's account of the Axial Age

In this episode in my series on Graeber's Debt, I'm joined by John Weisweiler to discuss Chapter 9, "The Axial Age." John and I discuss Graeber's insights into the relationship between money, debt, and community, and the way that Graeber often got the ideas right even before the archaelogical record had gotten there.

Ruth Kinna comes back on the show to celebrate 3 years of Everyday Anarchism. We talk about the relationship between anarchism and protest, and where everyday anarchism fits with capital-A Anarchism. Plus Occupy!

Luke Kemp joins me to discuss Chapter 8 of Debt, asking the question: Is Graeber right when he says that history follows clear cycles?Sort of!

I'm joined by Alfie Kohn to discuss No Contest: The Case Against Competition, his 1986 book about how competition hurts rather than helps people do their best. We cover the problem with grades, the reason why excellence and competition are opposed, and whats wrong with rewards and what makes awards even worse.For more from Alfie, check out his website:https://www.alfiekohn.org/

The Debt series returns, hopefully to finish by early 2025.This my reading of Chapter 8 (and a little of Chapter 7), soon to be followed by a discussion with Luke Kemp.

This episode publishes on the hundredth anniversary of Colin Ward! Colin was one of the popularizers of many of the ideas featured in this podcast, and I've stayed away from covering him for fear of copying him. But my guest today, Roman Krznaric, convinced me to do an episode on Colin's thought, and we had a thrilling conversation about anarchy, city planning, protest, and Kim Stanley Robinson.I highly recommend Colin's book Anarchy in Action from PM Press: https://www.pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=814Here's Roman's website for more from him: https://www.romankrznaric.com/

Here's a crossover episode from my other podcast, Plumbing Game Studies.Things have been crazy lately, and I have emails from back in April I haven't responded to. My apologies if you've emailed me and not heard back. I hope to get caught up soon, or at least in 2024!

Who create the modern theory of political sovereignty?Thomas Hobbes.What was Hobbes afraid of?Anarchy.What made Hobbes so afraid of anarchy?The English Revolution.Today's guest is Alison McQueen, who can be found at https://www.alisonmcqueen.info/

Clif Mark, host of the Good in Theory podcast, joins me to discuss honor and degradation in Graeber's Debt. Also I make Clif talk about representation in Star Wars, for some reason.

One of the most famous author's in the English language, John Milton, was a 17th century English radical who not only supported but also worked for the English revolutionary government. I'm joined by Nigel Smith, a returning guest, and Nick McDowell, author of Poet of Revolution: The Making of John Milton, to discuss Milton's radicalism and its relationship to the English Revolution.

A little belatedly, here's my episode about Graeber's Debt, Chapter 7. A discussion on honor and dignity will be coming later this month with Clif Mark of the Good in Theory podcast!

Kate Peters, author of Print Culture and the Early Quakers, joins me to discuss the Quakers, the last of the radical groups we're covering the English Revolution series. You can hear about how the Quakers can be seen as the end of political radicalism in the revolution, or alternately as a different form of radical organizing, as evidenced by William Penn's political declarations in the 1701 charter for Pennsylvania:https://oll.libertyfund.org/pages/1701-pennsylvania-charter-of-liberties

In this debt discussion, Fuad and I discuss Chapter 6 of Debt, "Games with Sex and Death," and especially the way that Graeber is writing in the grand theory tradition of anthropology. Fuad also taught with David at the London School of Economics, and is able to explain how Graeber approached these same concepts in anthropology as a teacher and colleague.You can find Fuad's anthropological work on activism here: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/staff/profiles/dasa/musallam-fuad

In the next episode of Radicalism in the English Revolution, I'm joined by Bernard Capp to discuss The Fifth Monarchists - a radical protestant sect that was trying to bring about the end of the world, and wanted Cromwell to help them!

Graeber explains human economies, economies in which money can only be used to shore up social relations, and can't be used to buy things - to the utter confusion of anthropologists trying to buy things

My former professors John McGowan and Meili Steele join me to discuss Richard Rorty's final book, Pragmatism as Anti-Authoritarianism.

James K. Galbraith joins me to discuss the flaws in the field of economics and its pseudoscientific justifications

Stuart Klawans joins me to discuss his recent book Crooked but Never Common about the films of Preston Sturges, the first writer-director of the Hollywood sound era. Informed by the work of Stanley Cavell, Stuart's book reads these comedies as asking important questions about democracy, business, the New Deal, marriage, and other pressing questions. Plus they're a joy to watch!

The chapter of Debt which inspired this podcast - get ready to hear the origin of everyday anarchism!

Philosopher of games C. Thi Nguyen joins me to discuss his current work on the intersection of anarchism and games studies. The conversation was so much fun that I started a whole new podcast, Plumbing Game Studies, to continue exploring this topic.For more from Thi, here's his website: https://objectionable.net/ Here's the website for the new podcast, Plumbing Game StudiesSpotify Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/4axfbEJzRpVg6NXIaycm8d?si=272f3a6401024df6 Apple Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/dk/podcast/plumbing-game-studies/id1734827141

In this episode I'm joined by Henry Farrell, who got into an internet spat with David Graeber over Debt. Henry recently wrote a reflection on the kerfuffle at the blog Crooked Timber, and also co-wrote a book, Underground Empire: How America Weaponized the World Economy, that came about in part as a response to Graeber's Debt.

Kim Stanley Robinson to talk about his Mars trilogy, the theory of revolution that animates it, and where anarchism and anarchists fit in. This conversation is a direct sequel to our conversations on the Three Californias triptych, which you can listen to here:https://www.everydayanarchism.com/093-the-wild-shore-three-californias-kim-stanley-robinson/https://www.everydayanarchism.com/096-the-gold-coast-three-californias-kim-stanley-robinson/https://www.everydayanarchism.com/100-the-pacific-edge-three-californias-kim-stanley-robinson/

Happy Mardi Gras! The show should be back publishing new episodes in March. In the meantime, here's a rerun, and a link to a couple of interview I did late last year:https://pod.link/1705765872/episode/716e36494d7eff56dc142642d55c7c3bhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/jelle-laverge/episodes/The-Core-Curriculum---Episode-1---Interview-with-Graham-Culbertson-e2aeujb

Radicalism in the English Revolution gets to the Ranters, the radical group of protestants who may or may not have practiced free love - but definitely sparked a moral panic!In this extra-long discussion, Nigel Smith and I discuss the roots of Ranterism, its connections to the Diggers, its legacy for romanticism, and its connection to later American radical movements. Plus we talk about punk rock, especially in connection to Nigel's book: A Collection of Ranter Writings: Spiritual Liberty and Sexual Freedom in the English Revolution

For my very first repeat episode, I'm reposting a conversation with Ruth Kinna about Santa Claus, Kropotkin, and the prefigurative practice of Christmas.You can read Ruth's article on the topic here: An Anarchist Guide to Christmas

Diane Purkiss joins me to discuss the Christmas Wars, in which Puritans attempted to prevent the celebration of Christmas in the 17th century. Christmas was a carnival in which the world was turned upside down - and the Puritans weren't having it. We also discuss the Lord of Misrule, Twelfth Night, and that 21st century lord of misrule: Lord Buckethead!

Debt Chapter 4, in which Jesus and Nietzsche show up!

I'm joined by Brian Merchant to discuss his new book, Blood in the Machine. Brian argues persuasively that the Luddites weren't anti-technology but were actually for a different social order and a different use of technology. More importantly, in Brian's book the factory owners look a lot like today's tech titans and the workers look a lot like, well, today's workers. So come back with us to the early 19th century to find out how it all went wrong!

In a break from the two ongoing series, in this week's episode I'm joined by the anarchist YouTuber Andrewism. Andrew and I discuss homeschooling, our shared experiences as homeschooled kids, the way homeschooling prepared us to be learners, and the liberatory potential of the homeschooling ethos.Andrewism is one of the best ways to introduce yourself to the ideas of anarchism - check out his videos on solarpunk and, for Graeber fans, the myth of barter

John Morrill, whose work I first encountered in Mike Duncan's podcast about the English Revolution, joins me to discuss the career of Oliver Cromwell. Cromwell was attacked in his time for being both too radical and not radical enough, and the picture has only gotten more complicated from there. John and I discuss his career, his convictions, his relationship to radicals like the Levellers and the Diggers, and how we should remember him today.To see John discuss these issues in the glorious blurriness of 80s television, I highly recommend this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/l9BluTq8M54?si=DrO1hqWEtD4SkbGZ

For the third episode of Debt Discussions, the anthropologist Bill Maurer joins me to talk about Chapter 3 of Debt, Primordial Debts. Bill and I talk about the myth of primordial debt, where it fits in the anarchism vs. social democracy debate, and if the anthropological parables in the book fit Graeber's claims. We also talk about the strengths and flaws of Graeber's approach, especially the way that his work embraces grand narratives while critiquing the grand narrative tradition.Bill wrote the conclusion for the new book As If Already Free: Anthropology and Activism After David Graeber

Ariel Hessayon returns to discuss The Diggers, the radical group whose farming community most closely resembles the ideas of anarchist communism as expressed by 19th century figures such as Kropotkin, Morris, and Tolstoi. Ariel and I discuss their origins, their theology, their 19th century recovery, and above all the brilliant writings of one of their leaders, Gerrard Winstanley.

Continuing my series on Graeber's Debt, this episode looks at chapter 3, which introduces the other big myth which Graeber says underpins our modern imaginary. Primordial Debt, I argue, is the left-wing counterpart to the myth of barter, and Graeber critiques it less harshly but just as fully.Join me later this month for a conversation with the anthropologist Bill Maurer about this chapter, the myth of primordial debt, and the anthropological nature of Graeber's claims.

Emerging from both civilian and military backgrounds, the Levellers were a radical group who advocated for expanded voting rights and freedom of conscience and speech. Rachel Foxley, author of The Levellers: Radical Political Thought in the English Revolution, explains the Levellers' views, their relationship to Oliver Cromwell, their revolutionary methods, and how their ideas resonate with later radicals.

For the second episode of Debt Discussions, Cory Doctorow returns to the show to talk about Chapter 2 of Debt, The Myth of Barter. Cory and I talk about the way that economics resembles science fiction, the original reception of Debt (especially on the blog Crooked Timber), and talk some more about the topic of UBI and a jobs guarantee.

Ariel Hessayon joins me to start a new series, Radicalism in the English Revolution. Before we get to all the delightful radical groups - like Diggers and Levellers - Ariel and I discuss the English revolution, whether it was a revolution, what revolution meant to them, and what it meant to be a radical at the time.Here's an introduction to the concept of radicalism, or anarchism, in the English Revolution: https://www.everydayanarchism.com/anarchism-in-the-english-revolution/This series will run concurrently with the Debt series, because I'm disorganized.For a fuller account of the entire revolution, I recommend Mike Duncan's podcast series on the topic: https://thehistoryofrome.typepad.com/revolutions_podcast/2013/09/001-the-kingdoms-of-charles-stuart.html

Continuing my series on Graeber's Debt, this episode looks at chapter 2, which is all about the silly stories that economists tell themselves to explain why economics is an objective science. Economics tells us that we can't imagine other worlds - but the field of economics is more imaginary than any fantasy novel

In just over two years, Everyday Anarchism hits 100 episodes!Kim Stanley Robinson returns to discuss The Pacific Edge, the third volume of his Three Californias triptych. We discuss how the beautiful ecosocialist utopia in The Pacific Edge keeps all of the mundanity, tedium, and tragedy of life, just without the horrors of neoliberal capitalism. Stan also explains why he's unsatisfied with the book - and how that led him to writing his Mars trilogy, which we'll discuss in depth in 2024!This series of episodes is dedicated to Dr. Robert Corbin: teacher, mentor, friend, and, above all, rebel with a cause.

Medieval historian Eleanor Janega joins me as the first guest in Graeber's Debt series. We discuss the big ideas in chapter 1, especially garden parties, moral confusion, American empire, and British debt. Eleanor also helped me understand how debt is the most important thing in Jane Austen's novels - and that's a bad thing.For more from Eleanor, you can check out her podcast debunking misconceptions about the middle ages, We're Not so Different, or her book The Once and Future Sex: Going Medieval on Women's Roles in Society.

For my second anniversary episode, frequent guest Ruth Kinna joins to talk about academic/intellectual anarchism. What's the point of this work? How do we know if we're making a difference? Who are we helping?We particularly highlight the role of Noam Chomsky in intellectual anarchism, as well as the rise of the social justice/alter globalization movement

At long last, my thoughts on Graeber's Debt, chapter 1.Get ready for a discussion of this chapter, and the garden party, with Eleanor Janega later this month!

Kim Stanley Robinson and I discuss The Gold Coast, the second volume of his Three Californias triptych. We discuss how the Reagan era served as the inspiration for the book, the connection between the character Dennis McPherson and Stan's own father, and why this is Stan's favorite of the trilogy.Join us next month for a discussion of the final volume of the triptych, The Pacific Edge

Kristen Ghodsee joins me to discuss her new book, Everyday Utopia. Kristen and I discuss the history of utopian communities, the promise and perils of state socialism, and how anarchism serves as a reminder that everyday communities can change the world.

Frequent guest James Fallows returns to the podcast as the first ever guest host! James interviews regular host Graham Culbertson about the legacy of progressivism and what ideas from that era we could use today in the struggle to make a better world, especially those related to William James and his famous talk "The Moral Equivalent of War."You can also read or watch Jimmy Carter's famous "Moral Equivalent of War" speech on its Wikipedia page.

Finally, it's happening! My series on David Graeber's book Debt is finally starting for real on September 6. This trailer tells you what to expect, announces a few exciting guests, and reminds me to read the book.Later in September Eleanor Janega will join me to discuss Chapter 1. And if you can't wait, check out the prequel episodes based on Graeber's essay "Against Economics."Graeber's Debt PrequelGraeber's Debt Prequel with Dirk Ehnts

Kim Stanley Robinson and I discuss The Wild Shore, the first volume of his Three Californias triptych. We discuss how his career started, the inspiration for both this novel and the entire triptych, and most of all the novel itself - a post-apocalyptic narrative in which most of America has been destroyed, and what's left is a frontier lifestyle just waiting to be described in the manner of Mark Twain.